Folding wind-shield.



E. H. PRATT.

FOLDING WIND SHIELD. APPLICATION rum) 001222, 1908.

Patented Feb. 21,1911.

' LUVNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL H. vPRATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 STUDEBAKER BROTHERSMAHU "rnc'rom'nc commmr, or some; BEND, INDIANA, 'A conronnrrou ormutant.

FOLDING WIND-SHIELD.

"984,848, Specification of Letters latent. 4 Patentedlteb, 21, 1911Application filed October 22, 1908. Serial No. 459,012.

To all whom it may concern: 1 port 12 and each of its opposite edges ad-Be it known that I, EARL H. PRATT, a iacent to its top margin issupplied with a citizen of the United'States, residing at. hinge member13 of channel shape at. its Chicago, in the coun v of Cook-and Statelower half and of substantially angle sec- 5 of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and tion at its upper half above-the hinge pin 60 usefulImprovements in Folding \Nind- 0r pintle 14. As is customary, this hingeShields, of which the following is a specimember or sheathing 13receives and ac fication. commodates the sash or framing of the Myinvention concerns foldable wind lower shield section. The outer face ofthis shields or guards such as are in common hinge member 13 at itsupper end is sup- 65 use at the present time on automobiles to pli dwith an outwardly-extended screwprotect the occupants of thevehicle tromthreaded rod or pin 17 and a lug 18 conthe eilects of wind and dust.These shields centric therewith and forming about twoare usually made soas to be capable of foldthirds 0i three-quarters Of a truncated cone.

ing or collapsing, whereby they may occupy The upper section or part-19of'the fold- 70 but. little space when not in use. It becomes ableshield is hinged on the pintle 14 by necessary in such devices toprovide some means of a strap 20 having at its upper means for securelylocking the shield secend an outwardlysextended lug 21 forming tions inoperative or unfolded condition, and the, remainder of the truncatedcone, it be- 20 it is to improvements in this part of the deingunderstood that the strap or bar 20 7 vice that my invention isdirected. Its aim takes the place of the portion of the hingeis toprovide a locking or clamping mechamember 13 omitted above .he hingeitself, nismsimple in construction, economical to the angle part of themember 13 and the manufacture, easily operated, and ellective strap orbar '20 const tuting a cl1annel= for the purpose intended. shapedstructure in which the sash or frame Whereas vmy invention issusceptible of a 15 carrying the glass 16 of the upper secvariety ofembodiments, yet in order that tion 19 of the shield is accommodated.The the invention may be fully understood I member 13 being rigidlyfastened to the have illustrated on the accompanying drawlower sectionacts as an abutment or stop to '30 ing and described below one preferredand limit the turning of the upper section 19 on desirable constructioncontaining the imthe hinge in one direction.

provement. At each side of the vehicle, that is, at On the drawing,Figure 1 is an edge each end of the toldable guard, I pivot at view -ofthe front portion of an: automobile 22 a comparatively-long cylindricalbrace 35 illustrating in full lines my improved wind rod 23 havingthereon shoulders or stops 24 shield in vertical or operative position,the and 25, the latter being at the upper end of collapsed condition ofthe same being indithe brace rod. while the former is near its cated indotted lines; Fig. 2 is a fragmenlower end and limits the downwardswingtar'y elevation of one edge portion of the mg of the collapsedshield, as will be readily 510 shield illustrating thc'hinged connectionbcunderstood from a consideration oft-he contween the two sjc'tions, andshowing also struction and operation of the parts hereinmy improvedlocking 0r clamping mechaafter described. On each of these brace rodsnism;.Fig. 3 is a fragmentaiy vertical scc- I employ a clamp 26 providedwith a cylin tion through the central portion of the drical aperture 27accommodating the brace 45' shield sect-ions; Fig. 4.- is an' edgeclevational rod. the clamp being slidable longitudinally view of thehinge connections between the on thclattcr, as will be obvious. On itsin-' shield sections, showing also those parts of nor face this clamp 26has a conical aper- 50 a horizontal section on line 5 ,my improvedlocking o1; clamping mcchaturo or recess 22 adapted to receive and ac-.nism which are integral therewith; Fig. 5 is commodatc the two lugs 18and 21 unitedly 5 of Fig. 1; forming an outwafilly-extended truncatedand Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line cone. 'lhc clamp 26 on itsouter face has 5( of Fig. 1. a cylindrical cavity 29 intersectingtheaper- The frame of the lower secti n 10 of the (are 27 so that aportion of the brace rod 23 foldable wind shield or screen is hinged atextends into the recess or cavity 29. The

55 its-bottom edge at 1.1 to any suitable supwall between the recesses28 and 29 is perforatedor apertured at 30 to accommodate the threadedrod or pin 17, the threaded end portion ofwhich projects outwardlybeyond the clamp, as is clearly shown in F ig. 6. Encircling this pin orrod 17 and bearing at its'opposite ends against the lug 18 and ashoulder 31 in the clamp, I employ a coil expansion spring 32 which bypressing against the face of-the lug tends to push the clam awaytherefrom, thereby unlocle ing and reeing'the shield sections. lilithinthe recess 29 I use a cylindrical ax1allyapertured gri ping member 83beveled or rounded oil a 34 so as to have an effective bearing on thecylindrical convex snrfaee of the brace rod 23. On the outer end or thethreaded pin or rod 17 a nut 35 is supplied,

the same. being equipped with a knurled handle portion 36 to facilitateits manual turning. The hub of this nut is of sh 'htly less diameterthan'the recess 29 and against the outer face of the gripping member 33.By turning the nut the gripping member is forced into firm contact withthe brace rod and the clamp 1s carried inwardly against the expansiveaction ofthe spring 32, so that its conical recess 28 receives both lugs18 and 21, the wedge action of the clamp-on the lugs forcing the samefirmly together,- whereby the upper and lower hin e-sections of theshield are securely 10c ed in straightened or operative verticalposition.

Assuming that the shield or guard is in the folded position indicated indotted lines in Fig.1, and that the nut 36 1S screwed on to the-pin orrod '17 so that the member 33 is in firm engagement with the brace rodand the clamp is forced over the lug 18, thiscondition of the partsholdingthe folded screen or shield hrmly and securely in substantiallyhorizontal position and against objectionable vibration and move ment,and it is desired to erect or unfold 45 the shield into verticaloperative position, the operator loosens the nut 36 by turning the samemanually, thereby permitting the spring 32 to expand and shift the clamp26 away from the larger lug 18, the pressure of the gripping member 33on the brace rod 23 at the same: time being removed, the screen orshield is then brought to vertical position, the lower section 10turning on the hinge 11. the upper section 19 turning on the hinge pin14, it being" understood that the clanip 26 slides on the brace rod 23from the stop shoulder 24: up to the end abutment matching positionforming a complete trun- 25. The two lugs 18 and 21 are now in outedcone, and the operator by turning the ,nut 35 forces the beveled surface34 of the gripping member 33 into firm and gripping 'coptact ivith thebrace rod. the clamp at the same time being pushed mu'ardlv ovcr ihcftwolugs and wedged thcrcovcr, duc to BELTS act-ion of said spring,

the action of the inclined or beveled surfaces he lamp n of the lugs.and the recess 0 which they are accommodat'j is now rigidly held inver'tic" sition without likelihood of becoming accidentally orunintentionally unlocked or unclamped. The reverse of the above-dc The?shield.

operative poscribed operations take place in the folding or collapsingof the shield into inoperative position and need no furtherdescription.-

ll'hereas Ihave described in detail the preferred embodiment of theinvention, the latter is not limited strictly to the precise structuralfeatures shown and described, and theseinay be modified withincomparatively wide limits without departure from the spirit and essenceof my invention.

1. In a wind shield, the combinationiofa pair of shield sections hingedtogether,--and means to lock said sections in unfolded or operativeposition, including alugon each of said sections, said lugs unitedlyformin a truncated cone when the shield-is unfol ed,

and an adjustable clamp having 'afconical recess adapted to accommodatebothjof said lugs and lock the shield sections in operative position,substantially as described 2. In a wind shield, the-combination a pairofshield sections hinged together, a lug on each of said sections,saidil'ugs unitedly forming the shield is unfolded,a ivoted brace-rod,an adjustable clamp slidab rodand having a cone-shaped recess adapted1to Ireceive within it both ofsaid lugs "and 0c: a spring tending tomove said clamp away from said lugs, and means to force said clamp overthe lugs in opposition to the substantially as describedthe shieldsections in operative position,

a truncated cone [when lev on said brace- 3. In a wind shield, thecombination of a pair of shield sections hinged together, 51 each ofsaid sect-ions, forming a truncated cone unfolded or in operative.position, a pivoted brace-rod, an adjustable clamp slidable on :1 lugsaid lugs, unitedly When't-he shield is' said brace-rod and having aconical recess adapted to accommodate both of said lugs and lock theshield sections in operative position, a threaded-rod rigid with oneofsaid position by'the brace-rod, substantially as described.

4. A folding shield of the class described comprising upper and lowershield parts, each consisting of a frame and a transparent plate mountedtherein, hinge. members connecting said shield parts, each of said hingemembers consisting of upper and lower eastings having oil-set hingelugs, a hinge pin extending through said lugs, projections extendinglaterally fromeach of said hinge castings, and those upon the adjacentcastings together forming a frustp-(onical memher, an elongatedprojection extending fromthe lower projection of said frusto-conicalmember and in axial alinement therewith, a cup member slidably mountedon said elongated projection and adapted to fit snugly over the firstsaid projections. and means for engaging or disengaging said cup mem -gher and the first said Pl'OjQCtlODs.

l ARL H. PRATT.

\Vitness'es ALLEN ll". Mooma, lVALrnn M. Fmmnn.

